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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated My Sister's Bones in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/my-sisters-bones-by-nuala-ellwood
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>Trigger warnings are noted in the first paragraph.</b>
<b><i>Were all of us, every day, just a hairbreadth away from evil. If Ive learnt anything from fifteen years of reporting, its that. But I couldnt expect these people to understand.</b></i>
This is a really heavy read as it deals with some really dark and depressing subjects, <b>such as the war and refugees in Syria, domestic & child abuse, rape, death, mental illness, alcoholism and miscarriages.</b> Dont read this if youre having a low period in your life because this is not going to make you feel any better, throughout its a rather distressing and upsetting story.
Each character in this novel was well developed, no matter how small a part they played in the plot. Ellwood has done a fantastic job with her research into PTSD as Kates fears and anxieties seem so real to the reader. Though Ive never experienced anything even close to PTSD, I can really imagine how terrifying and disturbing it would be, from reading this book. Its definitely the best and most harrowing description of the condition Ive ever read in a fiction novel.
This was a really well presented novel and Im amazed that its a debut! It was excellently written and thought out. My only issue being that sometimes, the timings in this book felt a little off. When Kate and Paul were together, one minute they'd be serving dinner and the next, after a small 5 lined conversation, it would be midnight and time for Paul to leave and Kate to get into bed. It seemed like large chunks of the day would just disappear.
Maybe I shouldnt have read some other peoples reviews on this beforehand, but because I was expecting all these super duper amazing twists, I kind of didnt feel that they were super duper amazing. I also found some of them to be a little far fetched and silly, rather than surprising.
I can definitely see why this has gained so many 5 star ratings, but its all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and this one was just a little too dark for my liking. That's not to say I didn't like this...I enjoyed this a lot, hence the 4 stars. I found myself not wanting to put it down, even when my eyes were telling me it was definitely time for sleep. It was certainly a thrilling and page turning read, but I dont know if I could recommend this to anyone because of all the dark subject matters. It seems like the sort of book some people are going to love for its dark realism and others are going to hate that and find it too distressing to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
NOW AVAILABLE IN THE UK!
<b>Trigger warnings are noted in the first paragraph.</b>
<b><i>Were all of us, every day, just a hairbreadth away from evil. If Ive learnt anything from fifteen years of reporting, its that. But I couldnt expect these people to understand.</b></i>
This is a really heavy read as it deals with some really dark and depressing subjects, <b>such as the war and refugees in Syria, domestic & child abuse, rape, death, mental illness, alcoholism and miscarriages.</b> Dont read this if youre having a low period in your life because this is not going to make you feel any better, throughout its a rather distressing and upsetting story.
Each character in this novel was well developed, no matter how small a part they played in the plot. Ellwood has done a fantastic job with her research into PTSD as Kates fears and anxieties seem so real to the reader. Though Ive never experienced anything even close to PTSD, I can really imagine how terrifying and disturbing it would be, from reading this book. Its definitely the best and most harrowing description of the condition Ive ever read in a fiction novel.
This was a really well presented novel and Im amazed that its a debut! It was excellently written and thought out. My only issue being that sometimes, the timings in this book felt a little off. When Kate and Paul were together, one minute they'd be serving dinner and the next, after a small 5 lined conversation, it would be midnight and time for Paul to leave and Kate to get into bed. It seemed like large chunks of the day would just disappear.
Maybe I shouldnt have read some other peoples reviews on this beforehand, but because I was expecting all these super duper amazing twists, I kind of didnt feel that they were super duper amazing. I also found some of them to be a little far fetched and silly, rather than surprising.
I can definitely see why this has gained so many 5 star ratings, but its all down to personal preference at the end of the day, and this one was just a little too dark for my liking. That's not to say I didn't like this...I enjoyed this a lot, hence the 4 stars. I found myself not wanting to put it down, even when my eyes were telling me it was definitely time for sleep. It was certainly a thrilling and page turning read, but I dont know if I could recommend this to anyone because of all the dark subject matters. It seems like the sort of book some people are going to love for its dark realism and others are going to hate that and find it too distressing to read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
ClareR (5991 KP) rated The Lost Ones in Books
Dec 3, 2019
The Lost Ones is a gothic horror set during the First World War. It's 1917and Stella Marcham has already experienced a traumatic war. She has lost her fiancé, and seen more than most women as a nurse on the front line. She is grief stricken and it's highly possible that she has PTSD. Her brother-in-law asks Stella to go and keep her pregnant sister company at his country home, as she is experiencing strange occurrences, and he feels that she needs some support. He doesn't believe Stella's sister when she says that she can hear a child crying: there are no children at Greyswick.
I loved this book! it made me jump, gasp out loud and burst out in nervous laughter. It's worth bearing in mind that I was on a long train journey as I was reading this, so there are probably a number of people between Skegness and Chester who either think I'm a little unhinged, or are dying to know what I was reading (I'm considering wearing some sort of badge on long train journeys, that says 'currently reading (insert book name here)'. I'm sure it'll explain to people my frankly erratic behaviour in cases like this.).
Anyway, this book deserves any hype it gets, and I strongly suggest that if you're a fan of historical fiction with a gothic bent, you go out, buy and read this immediately. And read it in public. I can't always be the one to show herself up like this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for my copy of this book.
I loved this book! it made me jump, gasp out loud and burst out in nervous laughter. It's worth bearing in mind that I was on a long train journey as I was reading this, so there are probably a number of people between Skegness and Chester who either think I'm a little unhinged, or are dying to know what I was reading (I'm considering wearing some sort of badge on long train journeys, that says 'currently reading (insert book name here)'. I'm sure it'll explain to people my frankly erratic behaviour in cases like this.).
Anyway, this book deserves any hype it gets, and I strongly suggest that if you're a fan of historical fiction with a gothic bent, you go out, buy and read this immediately. And read it in public. I can't always be the one to show herself up like this.
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for my copy of this book.
JT (287 KP) rated The Possession of Hannah Grace (2018) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
If there was ever somewhere befitting of a horror film it’s in a morgue. But unlike the terrifying Autopsy of Jane Doe which, uses the location in a dark and gothic manner, The Possession of Hannah Grace feels overworked and desperate to please.
When an exorcism goes horribly wrong the body ends up within the confines of a Boston hospital morgue three months later. There, ex-cop Megan (Shay Mitchell) who is recovering from her own personal trauma, takes a job working the graveyard shift. The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
As Megan walks about with not much to do until the eventual arrival of Hannah Grace’s disfigured corpse, she spends the time familiarising herself with the creepy surroundings. Megan’s backstory is far more interesting. Suffering from PTSD after watching her partner get gunned down, she battles an addiction to pills and now has the thankless task of having to battle a demon – hardly job satisfaction.
The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
In fairness to director Diederik Van Rooijen, he has chosen a tried and tested subgenre. And he isn’t helped by Brian Sieve‘s poor script. There is the odd positive moment, mainly when Hannah’s twisted body offers a glimpse at something more sinister lurking inside her. But that’s about it.
“When you die, you die. End of story,” says Megan – and after 85 minutes we’re pleased it did.
When an exorcism goes horribly wrong the body ends up within the confines of a Boston hospital morgue three months later. There, ex-cop Megan (Shay Mitchell) who is recovering from her own personal trauma, takes a job working the graveyard shift. The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
As Megan walks about with not much to do until the eventual arrival of Hannah Grace’s disfigured corpse, she spends the time familiarising herself with the creepy surroundings. Megan’s backstory is far more interesting. Suffering from PTSD after watching her partner get gunned down, she battles an addiction to pills and now has the thankless task of having to battle a demon – hardly job satisfaction.
The setting had so much potential it’s annoying that the film just saunters along, relying on cheap jump scares to capture audience attention.
In fairness to director Diederik Van Rooijen, he has chosen a tried and tested subgenre. And he isn’t helped by Brian Sieve‘s poor script. There is the odd positive moment, mainly when Hannah’s twisted body offers a glimpse at something more sinister lurking inside her. But that’s about it.
“When you die, you die. End of story,” says Megan – and after 85 minutes we’re pleased it did.
ClareR (5991 KP) rated Miss Benson's Beetle in Books
Dec 5, 2020
Miss Benson’s Beetle is an absolute delight, and completely unexpected! I have other Rachel Joyce books on my bookshelf, but I haven’t read them yet (this will be remedied!), so I wasn’t expecting the quirky, moving book that I listened to on Audible.
It must have been very unusual for a woman in 1950 to up sticks and travel to the other side of the world, searching for a beetle that might not even exist. And the fact that she does this with no prior travel experience, not knowing the language at her destination, and with very basic equipment, made me feel that Margery Benson was even more courageous. I loved her companion, Enid Pretty, too - although I think Margery really struggles with her huge personality (despite her diminutive size) for a large part of the book. Enid is confident where Margery is unsure, loud where Margery is quiet - and she teaches Margery the importance of female friendship.
In the wings is an ex-prisoner of war who had been held captive by the Japanese. He suffers from PTSD and a tropical disease, and there is a feeling of constant unease that he will do something to harm Margery or Enid. I felt so sorry for him though. He really wasn’t in a good place mentally or physically throughout.
This book is a story of courage, trials and tribulations, tragedy, and joy in the small things in life (not just beetles!) and I loved it. It’s a book with a lot of laughter and a good helping of tears.
It must have been very unusual for a woman in 1950 to up sticks and travel to the other side of the world, searching for a beetle that might not even exist. And the fact that she does this with no prior travel experience, not knowing the language at her destination, and with very basic equipment, made me feel that Margery Benson was even more courageous. I loved her companion, Enid Pretty, too - although I think Margery really struggles with her huge personality (despite her diminutive size) for a large part of the book. Enid is confident where Margery is unsure, loud where Margery is quiet - and she teaches Margery the importance of female friendship.
In the wings is an ex-prisoner of war who had been held captive by the Japanese. He suffers from PTSD and a tropical disease, and there is a feeling of constant unease that he will do something to harm Margery or Enid. I felt so sorry for him though. He really wasn’t in a good place mentally or physically throughout.
This book is a story of courage, trials and tribulations, tragedy, and joy in the small things in life (not just beetles!) and I loved it. It’s a book with a lot of laughter and a good helping of tears.
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Kristin (149 KP) rated War Torn: Stories of Courage, Love, and Resilience in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest (not necessarily positive) review.
I'll start by saying it seems a little odd to say I "liked" this book, considering the content contained within. However, it's very well written, and I felt not only educated on PTSD and other war-related issues but also on the different warring areas themselves. I can honestly admit that I didn't know a lot of the background for many of the locations described in these pages, and I felt the author did a wonderful job at giving information to those like me who might not be fully aware of what was happening, while also keeping it geared more toward the work he and his partners were doing for the victims/refugees/etc.
I have a Psychology degree, but this is written in such a way that anyone from any walk of life could pick it up and read from cover to cover without being confused or having to do any additional research to figure out certain thing. It's a powerful piece about places and situations that we, as Americans, may not be entirely knowledgeable about, and I commend the author for writing about his experiences over these past 20 years. It could not have been easy to experience these things, as it's difficult to even read some of them, and I can only imagine what it was like to speak with these people firsthand and hear their stories day in and day out.
5 stars, and a very educational read for those both in and out of the Psychology/Social Work professions.
I'll start by saying it seems a little odd to say I "liked" this book, considering the content contained within. However, it's very well written, and I felt not only educated on PTSD and other war-related issues but also on the different warring areas themselves. I can honestly admit that I didn't know a lot of the background for many of the locations described in these pages, and I felt the author did a wonderful job at giving information to those like me who might not be fully aware of what was happening, while also keeping it geared more toward the work he and his partners were doing for the victims/refugees/etc.
I have a Psychology degree, but this is written in such a way that anyone from any walk of life could pick it up and read from cover to cover without being confused or having to do any additional research to figure out certain thing. It's a powerful piece about places and situations that we, as Americans, may not be entirely knowledgeable about, and I commend the author for writing about his experiences over these past 20 years. It could not have been easy to experience these things, as it's difficult to even read some of them, and I can only imagine what it was like to speak with these people firsthand and hear their stories day in and day out.
5 stars, and a very educational read for those both in and out of the Psychology/Social Work professions.
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